Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact. An
indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned off (see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Sensors
that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airb ag off (see
page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
A
sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
reco rds information about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position. Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the front passenger’s
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
infant or sm all child), the
passenger’s front airbag will be
turned off (see page ).
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force (see page
).
Sensors
that can detect whether
the driver’s seat belt and a front
passenger’s seat belt is latched or
unlatch ed (see page ). An
indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
front airbag has been turned off
(see page ).
21
31
27 27
30 31
29
20
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
24
CONTINUED
After inflating, the front airbags will
immediately deflate, so they won’t
interfere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
defl ation is one-tenth of a second, so
fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.
Du
ring a frontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the front airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Al though both airbags normally
inflate within a split second of each
other, it is possible for only one
airbag to deploy.
This can happen if the severity of a
collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airb ags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Only the driver’s airbag can deploy if
there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ).
If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration.
If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will instantly
inf late the driver’s and f ront
passenger’s airbags, at the time and
with the f orce needed.
27
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Front Airbags Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe frontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s front airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
force to cause very serious injuries.
If
the airbag inflates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
infant. If
the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thro wn forward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough force to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larg er children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt (see page for important
info rmation about protecting larger
children).
Even
though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system, which
can automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), please f ollow the
guidelines below.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states and Canadian provinces have
laws restricting where children may
ride. 27
49
CONT INUED
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Inf ant sNever put a rear-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger ChildrenChildren who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Poses Serious Risks
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
µ
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the f ront.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.
It could also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat directly behind the
f ront passenger’s seat, move the seat
as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get
a smaller rear-f acing child seat.
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a f orward-f acing position. Infant Child Seat Placement
Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat .
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
40
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during a
collision.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.
If you decide that a child can safely
ride up front, be sure to:
Carefully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instru ctions and all safety
info rmation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the floor.
Ch eck that the child’s seat belt is
properly and secu rely positioned.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to fasten the seat belts
or sit properly.
Of
course, children vary widel y. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in front,
there are other important factors you
should consider.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates in a moderate to severe
frontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.4916
Physical Size
Maturity
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
51
These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury or death. Read these labels
caref ully. If a label comes of f or
becomeshardtoread(exceptforthe
U.S. dashboard label which is
removed by the owner), contact your
dealer f or a replacement.
U.S. modelsCanadian models
U.S. models
Canadian models U.S. models only Canadian models
U.S. models
Saf ety L abels
54
SUN VISOR
HOOD DOORJAMBS
RADIATOR
CAP
DASHBOARD
The appropriate indicator comes on
in this monitor if the trunk or either
door is not closed tightly.
All the indicato rs in the monitor
come on for a few seconds when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
Ifitcomesonandstaysonatany
other
time, or if it does not come on
wh en you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, there is a
problem with the VSA system. Take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it
checked. Without VSA, your vehicle
still has normal driving ability, but
will not have VSA traction and
stability enhancement. See page
for more information on the
VSA system. It
comes on along with the VSA
system indicator if there is a
problem with the VSA system.
It
flashes when VSA is active (see
page ).
Itcomesonasareminderthatyou
have
turned off the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system.
This
indicator has three functions:
This
indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. For more information, see
page .
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
2.
3. 1.
182 182
182
On V6 models
On V6 models
Door and T runk Open Monitor
Vehicle Stability Assist
(VSA ) System Indicator VSA A ctivation Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
60
This indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It will
gooffifyouhaveinserteda
properly-coded ignition key. If it is
not a properly-coded key, the
indicator will blink and the engine
will not start (see page ).
This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch from the ON (II) position to
the ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)
position.
This indicator comes on when the
washer fluid level is low. Add washer
fluidwhenyouseethisindicator
come on (see page ).
This
indicator comes on when you
turn on the cruise control master
button (see page ).
This indicator comes on when you
set the cruise control. See page
for information on operating the
cruise control. This
indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. It
remindsyouthatitistimetotake
your vehicle in for scheduled
maintenance. The maintenance main
items and sub items will be displayed
in the information display. See page
f or more inf ormation on the
maintenance minder.
This indicator goes of f when your
dealer resets it after completing the
required maintenance service. 75
145 193
145
210
Canadian models only
Immobilizer System
Indicator
Cruise Control Main
Indicator Maintenance Minder
Indicator
Washer Level Indicator
Cruise Control Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
63